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Connectors or splices of Fiber optic

By Steve Rogers,
Fiber optic joints or terminations are made in two ways: 1) with connectors, which join two fibers to create a temporary joint and/or connect the fiber to network equipment; or 2) with splices, which create a permanent bond between two fibers. Both termination methods must have two main characteristics: good optical performance, determined by low attenuation and minimal reflectance, and high mechanical strength. The terminations must also be of the appropriate style so that they are compatible with the equipment used and are protected from the harmful effects of the installation site.
It is likely that no fiber optic component has been given as much attention as the connector. Manufacturers have developed more than 80 types of connectors and about a dozen different ways to install them. There are only two types of basic splices but several ways to implement them. However, manufacturers and installers are fortunate since, in most installations, all types of splices and connectors are only used.
In multimode and single-mode fibers different connectors and termination procedures are used. The terminations of multimode fibers are relatively easy to make; field termination is usually done by installing connectors directly on fibers of tight structure using the procedures detailed below. Most field terminations of single-mode fiber are made by splicing a connectorized fiber cable ( pigtail ) purchased from the factory to the installed cable, instead of directly terminating the fiber, as is customary in multimode fiber. The terminations of single-mode fibers must be carried out with extreme care at the time of assembly, especially polishing, to achieve good performance (low attenuation and reflectance), so they are usually made in factories with good cleaning conditions, with heat-cured epoxy and with machine polishing.
In any installation, when choosing a type of connector, it should be analyzed if it is compatible with the systems that will be used in the fiber optic cable network, provided that the installer is familiar with the termination process and that the customer considers that The connector is suitable. If the systems have not yet been specified, hybrid patch cables with different connectors may be required at each end. If the installer does not know the ways to install the connector, it would be necessary to perform training. In addition, sometimes it can happen that the user has acquired a type of connector that is not ideal for installation so that the installer should talk with the user about the virtues of the other types of connectors before committing to carrying out the project.

The joints are permanent unions. Fusion splicing is the most widely used as it offers the lowest attenuation level and the lowest reflectance, as well as the most reliable joint. Almost all single-mode fiber splices are made by fusion. The mechanical splice is used for temporary restorations and for most multimode fiber splices. If you would like more information about the splices, read the text below.
Optical loss of connector and splice
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Performance Specifications
Optical loss
The main specification of the connectors or splices is the optical loss or the amount of light lost in the connection. When we talk about the loss of the connector we mean the optical loss in the "connection", that is, the optical loss of two coupled connectors, which is expressed in "dB". It may happen that a single connector does not have an optical loss, by definition; The optical loss in a joint is obviously the light that is lost at the junction between the two fibers.  
To test a connector, it is necessary to connect it to reference connectors that must be of high quality so that the loss measurement is not impaired when it is connected with a connector with different characteristics. This is an important aspect that is not usually well understood. To measure the optical loss in the connectors you must attach them to a similar and suitable connector. If, when a connector is tested, it is coupled to several different connectors, it probably has different losses since they depend on the reference connector to which it was attached. Testing the joints is much more difficult since it is a permanent union; Therefore, the splicing test must be done indirectly by means of an instrument called OTDR (optical reflectometer in the time domain).
Both the loss of the connector and the splice are due to several factors. The optical loss is reduced when the cores of the two fibers are identical, are aligned perfectly and touch each other, the connectors and splices were made properly and there is no dirt in the joint. Only the light that is coupled to the core of the receiving fiber will propagate, whereby all remaining light is the loss of the connector or splice.


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